


Impress. Smell. Breakfast.

by WoodenDeer



Series: ArdyNoct Drabble of the Week [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternative Game Ending, Angst wrapped in Fluff, Ardyn does bad things out of good intentions, Fishing, Galdin Quay (Final Fantasy XV), Gen, Guilt, Illusions, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Light Angst, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28322865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WoodenDeer/pseuds/WoodenDeer
Summary: When the Astrals discovered what exactly Ardyn had done in his last encounter with the Chosen King, they were furious. Outraged to the brims of their vile souls. But no matter how pissed off they were with his scam, Ardyn didn’t care: their foul game shouldn’t end with Noctis’ death. And if it meant he had to trap the King inside the ever beautiful dream to keep him alive, he would do it without hesitation. Eternity couldn’t bother the immortal.
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: ArdyNoct Drabble of the Week [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010289
Kudos: 8
Collections: Ardynoct DS





	Impress. Smell. Breakfast.

When Ardyn woke up, Noctis was already gone.

There was nothing surprising, he worked out a habit to get up early – Vannath Coast lured Noctis with its inexhaustible fishing riches. Literally inexhaustible, but he didn’t have to know it.

Ardyn stretched his limbs, unwilling to arise yet. A peek out of the window told him exactly what he anticipated to see: Noctis sitting on the pier, a fishing rod clasped in hands and the vigilant watch over the ocean. He might as well leave him for another hour before the boy’d remember about breakfast. With that thought, Ardyn rolled over, covered with the blanket to the head.

***

The first thing he noticed was the _smell_ , and after it the boy appeared, dumping the fresh catch, right on the neat restaurant floor. No one but Ardyn could reprimand Noctis for his manners. Ardyn sipped his drink:

“They aren’t impressive to showboat them so proudly,” he pointed at the stinking heap. The fish odor didn’t complement his orange juice and berry toasts.

“Tell that to the cat lurking around, I had to save my morning labour from its claws,” Noctis smirked despite the irritated tone. Ardyn held no doubts a part of his ‘labour’ _accidentally_ happened to be inside the cat’s stomach. It was one of the few animals which inhabited the beach.

“Still you could manage better, considering how long you lounged there,” Ardyn gingerly picked one fish by its tail and dropped it with a squelch to the rest. “Aw, how tiny. A bite-size, I daresay.”

“Don’t talk like Gladio,” Noctis laughed and stole his perfectly cooked ulwaat toast. He brought a taste of salt to the juice in Ardyn’s mug too. “I will be harassed enough when guys drop in. Need to leave something big for them, not another trevally.”

Ardyn didn’t respond; forcefully he suppressed the urge to avert his eyes. Every time it became easier and easier to ignore the boy’s commentaries about the ‘guys dropping in’ or ‘thinking of visiting Luna’.

“It’s so quiet here without them,” Noctis muttered, deep in thoughts. He looked at the beach where vacationers were supposed to splash in water and take pictures. The scenery was vacant and placid.

“You don’t like it?” Ardyn asked. He shouldn’t have, it wasn’t fair; even if Noctis wanted to meet someone in particular, Ardyn could offer only his company. Noctis shook his head.

“No, it’s cool. It’s nice here. Just boring sometimes… I don’t mean you’re boring,” he finished in a hurry. Ache blossomed in Ardyn’s chest. He learnt to ignore it as well.

“I’m relieved to hear. Then,” he drawled, voice lowered on purpose. It never failed to ruddy Noctis’ cheeks. “How would you want me to entertain you?”

It seemed Noctis took his invitation seriously. He pondered for a while, nibbling at an apple, before coming to the conclusion, “Can you take me to the Angelgard?”

Ardyn could stand guard that the boy suspected something if not his honest big eyes that were clearer than sea in the afternoon. He wondered whether he would be as honest with Noctis if he found out Ardyn was not only fooling him but holding him in the illusion against his will. He didn’t want to verify, so he had to be careful.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said with a smile. 


End file.
